Article I: Name

The name of this organization will be the Rhode Island Track Coaches Association Inc.

Article II: Objectives

We are a non-profit, incorporated, organization of coaches whose purpose is to foster and encourage the athletes of Rhode Island in the sports of Track and Field and Cross Country. We do this by promoting and operating cross country meets, track meets and clinics for the development of student athletes and coaches. Our organization will do this under guidelines established by the National Federation of Track and Field Association and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League. It is our objective to raise the revenue necessary to fund these meets and clinics. This organization may offer scholarship programs to student athletes. We will also defray the costs of all banquets promoted by this organization and pay for all awards.

Article III: Organization Officials

Section 1: The officers of this organization shall be as follows: President, Vice-President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Section 2: The organization will also have a director of Cross Country, a director of Indoor Track and a director of Outdoor Track.

Section 3: The organization will have a representative from the northern, southern, eastern and central sections of our state.

Section 4: The organization shall have an executive board consisting of the organization’s officers, sport directors and the four representatives from the various sections of R.I.

Article IV: Duties of the Officers

Section 1: President

The president of this organization will act as chairman at all general, special and executive board meetings. The president shall cast the deciding vote in all tie votes at general, special and executive board meetings. The president may form special committees needed to operate this organization and appear at appropriate ceremonies representing this organization. The president will also serve as our representative to the Rhode Island Interscholastic League and may also appoint additional representatives to serve on R.I.I.L. committees. The president shall be responsible for the equitable operation of this organization and will have the ability to co-sign checks with the vice-president and the treasurer.

Section 2: Vice-President

The vice-president of this organization shall perform the duties of the president in the absence of the president; including the ability to co-sign all checks with the treasurer or the president.

Section 3: Treasurer

The treasurer shall be responsible for the collection of membership dues and entry fees at all meets and other funds raised by the organization. The treasurer shall maintain proper records and perform all duties in connection with this position. The treasurer shall make proper financial reports at all executive board meetings and general membership meetings when directed to do so by the president. The treasurer will have the ability to co-sign checks with the president or vice-president of the organization.

Section 4: Secretary

The organizations’ secretary shall keep accurate minutes of all executive board meetings and read these minutes for approval at subsequent meetings. The secretary will be responsible to notify all executive board members of executive board meetings.

Article V: Duties of Sport Directors

Section 1: The directors of Cross country, Indoor Track and Outdoor Track will be responsible for the scheduling and operation of all meets conducted during their respective seasons.

Section 2: The sports directors shall submit meet sites to be used in the various sports to the executive board for approval.

Section 3: The sport directors will appoint a games committee to operate all meets sponsored by the R.I.T.C.A. The games committee will appoint a jury of appeals to handle any interpretation of rules or infraction of rules. The jury of appeals must consist of at least three people chosen from either coaches or track officials. Coaches involved in a decision that concerns their team cannot serve on the jury of appeals and must be replaced with another member appointed either by the president or sport director.

Section 4: The sport director will determine all entry fees that will be assessed at the meets with the approval of the executive board.
Section 5: The sport director will make sure that all meets follow the rules set forth by the National Track and Field Federation and the Rhode Island Interscholastic League.

Article VI: Duties of the Representatives

Section 1: The representatives of the various state sections will serve on the board of directors and will represent their respective sections on all matters before the executive board.

Article VII: Elections

Section 1: The officers, sport directors and section representatives will be elected to a one year term at a general membership meeting held in the month of June.

Section 2: All organization officers, sport directors and representatives may only serve in one office and have only one vote on the executive board. (Exception is that the president will have another vote in case of a tie vote)

Section 3: Any officer, sport director or section representative may be removed from their position for conduct determined to be extremely detrimental to this organization. The board of directors by seventy-five percent vote of their membership in the affirmative will be able to remove said official.

Article VIII: Membership

Section 1: All R.I.I.L coaches are eligible to be members of the R.I.T.C.A. providing all their school’s dues have been paid.

Article IX: Dues

Section 1: All R.I.I.L. schools will be assessed a fee of $15.00 for each sport their school competes in. The assessed dues will make all coaches on that school’s staff eligible for membership. The treasure will collect all dues at the start of each season.
Article X: Meetings

Section 1: There will be an executive board meeting prior to the start of each season. These meetings will be set by the president who will notify the secretary to inform the executive board of the date, location and time.

Section 2: The president may call a general membership meeting at any time.

Article XI: Quorums

Section 1: A quorum necessary for conducting general membership meetings will be 50% of the general membership schools present at the meeting.

Section 2: A quorum necessary for conducting executive board meetings will be 75% of the executive board present at the meeting.

Article XII: Voting

Section 1: Each member school will have one vote at all general membership meetings in the event of a tie vote; the president shall cast the deciding vote.

Section 2: Each member of the executive board will have one vote at all executive board meetings. In the event of a tie vote, the president shall cast the deciding vote.
Section 3: All member schools are eligible to vote in an election of officers.

Article XIII: Meets

Section 1: All member schools are eligible to compete in all cross country and track & field meets sponsored by the R.I.T.C.A.

Section 2: Only freshman athletes can be entered into all freshman events sponsored by the R.I.T.C.A.

Section 3: In Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field, an athlete entered in an individual event of a R.I. State Varsity Championship may not compete in either an individual event or relay at the R.I. State Junior Varsity Championship.
Section 4: Any athlete in an individual event at the R.I. State Junior Varsity Championships (Indoor, Outdoor Track) may compete in any or all relays at the R.I. State Varsity Championship. An athlete may not be listed on a relay in both the Junior Varsity and Varsity State Championships including alternates.

Section 5: All meets will be conducted under the rules of the National Federation and the R.I.I.L.

Section 7: A jury of appeals appointed by a games committee for each meet will decide any interpretation of rules or infraction of rules. Refer to Article V, sec 3.
Section 8: This organization will have liability insurance for all meets that it sponsors.

Article XIV: Banquets/Awards

Section 1: The executive board must approve of all banquets to be held by this organization.
Section 2: The president will appoint a banquet chairperson to head a scheduled sport banquet. This person will be responsible for all programs conducted at the banquet. All ticket collections and counts must be coordinated with this person. This person should submit a financial report to the treasurer along with all funds collected after expenses.

Section 3: The banquet chairperson may appoint an awards chairman at banquets. This person will be responsible for the purchase of all awards presented at the banquet. These awards will be presented to all athletes that are determined to be either all division, all class, all state, and academic all state. Special awards may also be presented at the banquet.

Section 4: Awards will be presented to all championship and runner-up teams in R.I.T.C.A events.
Section 5: The games committee of each meet hosted by the R.I.T.C.A. will determine the number of ribbons and medals to be awarded to individuals competing in those events.

Section 6: This organization will present a “Coach of the Year” award for each sport. Ballots for coach of the year will be given to each member school (one vote per school) prior to all class or varsity state championships. This organization may also present special awards to other coaches or assistant coaches.

Article XV: Hall of Fame

Section 1: This organization will keep and maintain a Hall of Fame.

Section 2: The president shall appoint a Hall of Fame chairperson. The Hall of Fame chairperson will put together a committee of five people, including the chairperson, to select Hall of Fame members.

Section 3: Nominations to the Coaches’ Hall of Fame may be made by the Hall of Fame committee or to the committee by R.I.T.C.A. members.

Section 4: Criteria to be followed in selecting Hall of Fame members- a) Coaches; Coaches must have at least ten years experience or must be retired from coaching in order to be considered for the Hall of Fame. All head and assistant coaches are eligible for the Hall of Fame. b) Track Officials- Track officials may be elected to the Hall of Fame providing they have been an official for at least ten years. c) R.I.I.L. officials may be elected to the Hall of Fame for exemplary service to The R.I.T.C.A. d) Any individual outside of the coaches, track officials, and R.I.I.L. officials may be elected to the Hall of Fame for exemplary service to the R.I.T.C.A. (ex. College coaches, press members, etc.)

Section 5: The Hall of Fame committee by majority vote will select new Hall of Fame members that have been nominated to the committee.

Section 6: All newly elected Hall of Fame members will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at an R.I.T.C.A. banquet or Hall of Fame banquet. Members of the Hall of Fame will receive a Hall of Fame award from the R.I.T.C.A. and will have their name added to a perpetual plaque that will be maintained by the R.I.T.C.A.

Article XVI: Organization Expenses

Section 1: All organization expenses must be approved by the executive board and are to be deducted from the treasury.

Section 2: All organization expenses should be paid for by check issued by the treasurer. The president, vice-president and treasurer are eligible to sign checks. Two (2) signatures are required on all checks.

Article XVII: Amendments

Section 1: Amendments to the by-laws must be presented in writing to the executive board.
Section 2: Amendments to the by-laws must be passed by a 75% vote of all executive board members.